Space advocacy

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Space advocacy is supporting or advocating for space exploration, space colonization and private spaceflight.

There are many different individuals and organizations dedicated to space advocacy. They are usually active in educating the public[1] on space related subjects, lobbying governments[2][3] for increased funding in space-related activities or supporting private space activities. They also recruit members, fund projects, and provide information for their membership and interested visitors. They are sub-divided into three categories depending on their primary work: practice, advocacy, and theory.

History

The idea that space flight was possible and necessary was introduced to the world by groups of revolutionary thinkers, primarily members of the Russian,[4] American, British, and German[5][6] science communities. Starting in the 1930s, these groups began to share their individual plans for a future in space to their respective governments and the public.[7]

Influential books and other media began to emerge which included works containing illustrations by Chesley Bonestell (based on Wernher von Braun's designs) such as The Conquest of Space (1949) and magazine articles including the "Man Will Conquer Space Soon!" series of article in Colliers magazine between 1952 and 1954. Television shows included Walt Disney's Man in Space and Man and the Moon in 1955, and Mars and Beyond in 1957.

List of organizations

Actively involved

Organizations that are directly involved in space exploration, having their own active projects.

Organisation Founded Purpose and goals Pursuits Website
SETI Institute 1960, America to search for extraterrestrial intelligent life Runs SETI link
The Planetary Society 1980, America to explore the Solar System, search for near-Earth objects, and search for extraterrestrial life Launched Cosmos 1 link
Artemis Project was a private venture to establish a permanent, self-supporting base on the Moon by 2002 link
Space Studies Institute 1977, America (2012:) to organize and implement The Great Enterprise Initiative, a road map outlining the technologies and capabilities necessary for space settlement. Current projects include "G-Lab, a space-based variable or partial gravity laboratory [and] E-Lab, a terrestrial 'systems-of-systems' integration lab that will bring together promising closed environment life support technologies into a comprehensive life support solution for space settlement."[8] Runs Space Manufacturing conferences link

Lobbying

Organizations that focus mainly on lobbying government agencies and businesses to step up their efforts.

Organisation Founded Purpose and goals Website
British Interplanetary Society 1933, United Kingdom to support and promote astronautics and space exploration link
American Astronautical Society 1954, America dedicated to the advancement of space science and exploration link
National Space Institute 1974–1987, America to help maintain public support for the US space program (later became the National Space Society)
L5 Society 1975–1987, America to promote the space colony ideas of Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill (later became the National Space Society)
Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy 1980, America was a group of prominent American citizens concerned with US space policy
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space 1980, America to promote space exploration and development through educational and engineering projects link
Space Frontier Foundation 1988, America to promote large-scale settlement of the inner solar system, under strong free market capitalism link
Mars Society 1998, International to encouraging the exploration and settlement of Mars link
California Space Authority 2001, America "to foster the development of specified activities in California related to space flight." link
MarsDrive 2005, International to involve the public, directly and actively, in the settlement and exploration of space link

Educating and publicizing

Organisations involved in educating the public, to boost their understanding and enthusiasm about space.

Organisation Founded Purpose and goals Website
Coalition for Space Exploration to educate and inform the public on the value and benefits of space exploration and to help ensure the United States will remain a leader in space, science and technology link
Canadian Space Society 1983, Canada to sponsor, promote and engage in activities designed to promote increased knowledge of space link
National Space Society 1987, America an organization with the vision of "people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth," from the merger of L5 Society and National Space Institute link
El Club de los Astronautas 2004, Spain to promote the exploration of space in a wider sense, and to experience the universe link
SpaceVidcast 2008, America a multimedia, internet based broadcaster dedicated to "...getting all of planet Earth excited about space flight and living amongst the stars." link
Tau Zero Foundation 2004, America to work together toward practical interstellar flight and to use this quest to teach the about science, technology, and our place in the universe link

Theorizing

Organisations that focus on advocating a theory for space exploration or colonization.

Organisation Founded Purpose and goals Website
Alliance to Rescue Civilization devoted to the establishment of an off-Earth "backup" of human civilization link
Living Universe Foundation has a detailed plan in which the entire galaxy is colonized. link
Red Colony strives to collect and develop theories in Mars colonization and terraformation via contributions and debate from the general public. link
The Mars Foundation through its Mars Homestead Project, is developing a unified plan for building the first habitat on Mars by exploiting local materials. link
Build the Enterprise theorises the possibility of building a spaceship similar in appearance to the USS Enterprise from Star Trek using current technology within the next two decades. link

See also

  • NASA spin-off

References

  1. ↑ The Solar System Ambassadors Program
  2. ↑ "Testimony of Dr. Robert Zubrin to the Senate Commerce Committee, Oct 29, 2003" (PDF). The Mars Society. 29 October 2003. Retrieved 25 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ Technical Societies Call for Increase to NASA Budget
  4. ↑ Korolev
  5. ↑ Biography of Wernher Von Braun
  6. ↑ German Civilian Rocketry
  7. ↑ HobbySpace - Space Activism - History
  8. ↑ "The Great Enterprise Initiative". Space Studies Institute. Retrieved 2012-07-09. 
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